SkyClan's Destiny/Chapter 7
Chapter description :Sparrowpelt exclaims that they won, and congratulates Snookpaw on how he crept up to the tree. The apprentice blinks in embarrassment and purrs. Billystorm promises that they’ll go hunting tomorrow, and Waspwhisker meow that it was just bad luck that they lost. Leafstar is relieved to see that none of his teammates looked angry that Sparrowpelt's group had beaten them in both exercises. Mintpaw murmurs that they should just wait till next time, and Bouncefire boasts about how he tripped Tinycloud, and his sister retorts that she got some good blows on his ears. Ebonyclaw tells Frecklepaw that she did well too, and the apprentice responds that it was fun. She asks Sharpclaw if they can do it again sometime, and the deputy replies that they would. Leafstar Is surprised that the ginger tom sounds friendly as he speaks to Frecklepaw, as if he’d forgotten that she was a daylight-warrior. Even the visiting cats seem more at ease. Stick suggests racing up the cliff, which was something they could give tips on. Leafstar promises that she’ll think about it, though she privately doubts it after Sagepaw's fall. At the same time she wonders if that might mean that perhaps they should practice even more. Shorty suggests that they could show different ways of dealing with dogs, and Cora puts in that they could teach them about monsters or young Twolegs. Stick continues that one thing that confuses him oas that in their Twolegplace, they hunted at night and slept during the day. Leafstar answers that Firestar had told him that was how the other Clans hunted, as it was easier to hunt and patrol borders in daylight. Sharpclaw adds in fighting, and Shorty rolls his eyes at Cora, muttering how it so weird. Leafstar doesn’t bother arguing, since SkyClan hunts by day and sleeps by night because that had been the way that Firestar and Sandstorm had taught them. :Rounding the last spur of rock, Leafstar sees the Rockpile and camp ahead of her. Patchfoot and his patrol are padding along the stream with prey in their jaws, Tangle and Lichenfur crouch beside the fresh-kill pile and share a pigeon, and Clovertail and Fallowfern lay beside the water’s edge, with Fallowfern’s kits scrambling over them. As the other cats gather around the fresh-kill pile, Coal bounds over to join them from Echosong’s den, and tells Stick that he has to go meet Echosong, and that the medicine cat had all sorts of remedies. Bouncefire chimes in that Echosong is great, and Tinycloud asks Stick if they plan on setting up their own Clan, and if that was why they came. The four visiting cats looked shocked, and Stick exclaims that they never would. Tinycloud insists that they should, because in a Clan there are always other cats to watch their backs. Rockshade adds that they share prey, and that no cat goes hungry. Mintpaw puts in that they learn to look after themselves and their Clanmates, Ebonyclaw softly mews that they help each other, and Frecklepaw nods. Leafstar feels proud at how confident her Clanmates sound. Stick says they have their own way of life, and Cora agrees. At this, Lichenfur asks what they are doing there. Leafstar sees that none of the visitors heard, and Rockshade points out that it’s not surprising that they wanted to learn from SkyClan. The elder questions on how the Twolegplace cats heard about SkyClan, and Rockshade answers that apparently Firestar and Sandstorm had told them. :Tinycloud touches Leafstar’s shoulder with the tip of her tail, and asks to have a word. The SkyClan leader acce, and picks her way to a quiet spot near the cliff face, asking what the problem is. The white she-cat answers that she likes helping Echosong, and knows a medicine cat’s importance to a Clan; but that she really wants to be a warrior, and feels that she’s missing out on training. The young she-cat asks if she can go back to regular warrior duties. Leafstar accepts as long as she remembers that if Echosong would need help, it would be the duty of every warrior to respond. Tinycloud nods, them runs off to her littermates, announcing that she is back in training. :Leafstar feels a sudden pang of concern, remembering that Echosong has to start training an apprentice. She notes that Tinycloud obviously didn’t have the passion to be a medicine cat; that Mintpaw and Sagepaw were desperate to be warriors like Rainfur; and that Clovertail would have the same ambition for the kits she is carrying. Leafstar is frustrated, and tells herself that Echosong is still young and that worrying about a medicine cat apprentice seems like a needless worry. :As the cats finish eating, Sharpclaw sorts out the evening patrols. Billystorm, Ebonyclaw, Frecklepaw, and Snookpaw pad over to Leafstar, and Billystorm asks if everything’s all right. Leafstar stops herself from voicing her troubles, and replies that everything is fine. The ginger-and-white tom looks as though he doesn’t believe her, but all he says is that the daylight-warriors would be leaving now. He dips his head and turns to go, then looks back at his leader and meows that he thinks she did the right thing about Harveymoon and Macgyver. Leafstar feels gratitude for his support, and wishes them good night. :Leafstar pads over to see what remains of the fresh-kill pile, and sees the four visitors looking around curiously. Shorty asks why the daylight-warriors had left, and Tinycloud and Cherrytail explain the concept of daylight-warriors to the Twolegplace cats. Stick shows his surprise that they still let the kittypets join in with everything, and Leafstar meows that SkyClan is young, needing all the help they can get to keep the fresh-kill pile stocked and borders strong. Cora points out that the borders won’t be strong if half the warriors are in a Twoleg nest, but Sharpclaw answers that SkyClan could defend itself without the extra Clan members. :Leafstar thinks that there is something the Twolegplace cats aren’t telling them, and when she exchanges a glance with Sharpclaw, she sees that he is suspicious also. Leafstar realizes that she isn’t imagining it, and that there is something odd with the strangers. She feels unsettled and vulnerable with their presence in camp and wonders if it had been a mistake to let them in the training session, or if they learned anything that they could use against SkyClan. Leafstar wishes that they hadn’t come. :Sparrowpelt yawns and announces he would go to his nest. Fallowfern agrees, drawing her kits close to her with her tail. Petalnose asks Leafstar where the visitors would sleep, and Sparrowpelt points out that there wouldn’t be enough room in the warriors’ den. Petalnose suggests using one of the new caves. The Clan leader thinks before nodding, though says the wouldn’t want them on their own, and some warriors should go with them. Patchfoot overhears her, and asks if she doesn’t trust them. Leafstar doesn’t admit that she does, but answers that she want them to feel like SkyClan welcomes them. Patchfoot, Bouncefire, and Sparrowpelt all offer to sleep in the new den, though Sparrowpelt asks if they can do it now. Leafstar thanks them and dips her head, and Nettlekit announces that he wants to sleep there too. Plumkit agrees, and comes up to Leafstar saying they’ll all go. Fallowfern objects and draws her daughter back with her tail, though Nettlekit whispers to her sister that they’ll sneak out when she’s asleep. Their mother tells them not to even try and she, her kits and Clovertail, go to the nursery. Nettlekit complains that he is not tired. :Patchfoot points out that it is too late to start gathering moss. He suggests moving some from the warriors den, and Sparrowpelt agrees. Stick, Shorty, and Coal follow the SkyClan warriors, but Cora stays behind with Leafstar, watching as the warriors carry moss out of their den. Cora murmurs that they didn’t come to cause harm, and Leafstar hopes not. Characters Major }} Minor *Snookpaw *Billystorm *Waspwhisker *Mintpaw *Bouncefire *Tinycloud *Ebonyclaw *Frecklepaw *Sharpclaw *Stick *Shorty *Cora *Patchfoot *Cherrytail *Rockshade *Shrewtooth (Unnamed) *Tangle *Lichenfur *Clovertail *Fallowfern *Rabbitkit (unnamed) *Creekkit (unnamed) *Plumkit *Nettlekit *Coal *Cherrytail *Petalnose }} Mentioned *Firestar *Sandstorm *Echosong *Harveymoon *Macgyver }} Errors :When Nettlekit and Plumkit talk about sleeping in the new den, it says, 'Nettlekit leaned over to whisper into his sister's Plumkit's ear. "We'll sneak out when she's is asleep."' It should read, "We'll sneak out when she is asleep." or "We'll sneak out she's asleep." Notes and references Category:Chapter subpages Category:SkyClan's Destiny Category:Super Edition arc